


Up all night

by lenorienne



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Fast Cars, Inspired by The Fast and the Furious, Minor Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Romance, Song: Get Lucky (Daft Punk), Street Racing, Tokyo (City)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:07:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29839212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lenorienne/pseuds/lenorienne
Summary: Kageyama was alone for so long. He was pursuing a solo career with only his best friend by his side who was madly in love with his sponsor.He wouldn't have minded further solitude if it weren't for Oikawa Tooru and the stupid Valentine's Day race.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. We're up all night for good fun

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I hope you'll enjoy the first chapter of my story. Please keep in mind that I'm not a native speaker, so if you want to give me any advice, feel free to comment. Thank you <3

The slamming of the door drowned out the words of a red-head boy, who was staring at him intensely. 

“I’m shocked you’re alive, you idiot,” he said. The driver glanced at him with murder in his dark blue eyes and took a deep breath before slamming the steering wheel with an open hand. 

“Shut the fuck up and get out of my car,” he growled. Hinata crossed his arms on his chest and looked at the lights of a white Ferrari reflected in the side mirror as the second best driver approached them from the left. 

“Open the window” Kageyama instructed, his eyes still fixed on the road in front of him. The roar of the engine broke into the car as Hinata lowered the window. 

“It's good to see you, Dandelion.” Oikawa Tooru rested his elbow on the frame of the open window and smiled at them, exposing his snow-white teeth. “Congratulations on your win, Killer," he spoke to Kageyama, who was still trying to avoid his mocking gaze at all cost. “You almost lost to an ordinary owl.” 

Kageyama tightened his grip on the steering wheel, adrenaline bubbling in his veins. It wasn't his night, and he knew it, but the title and his honor required him to compete. He didn’t care about the prize and all those people who came to see him race with the Owl. 

“I hope to see you on Saturday." Oikawa smiled, and the girl sitting next to him laughed quietly. “Isn't our Lone Wolf going to show up for the Valentine's Day race?” he sneered.

Hinata furrowed his eyebrows. “Of course he is,” he answered for his friend.

“All alone?” Oikawa's smile grew even bigger, and his companion let out a quiet snort. 

Kageyama threw him a furious look. “I'll see you on Saturday, King,” he growled and shifted into first gear, only to take off with a squeal of tires. 

“Drop me off at the garage,” Hinata said as Kageyama pulled out onto the main streets of Tokyo. 

“I'm so fucking pissed off with this shitty…”

“Did you even listen to me?” Hinata sighed, resting his elbow against the side of the car as Kageyama hit one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. 

‘'There’s no way I’m gonna race with him,”Kageyama continued. ”He can kiss my...”

“Should I find you someone?” Hinata asked with a sigh, sinking deeper into his seat. “Kiyoko might agree, but…”

“Everyone knows her there,” Kageyama muttered, turning towards Karasuno's workshop. “Besides, I don’t wanna get into another fight with DJ.”

“Tanaka was only joking.” Hinata rolled his eyes, remembering the last incident. ”Think about it, Killer. Maybe someone from the university?” 

“For sure," he growled, pulling into the parking lot in front of the workshop.

Daichi greeted him with a nod and went back to fixing his Camaro. They both looked at the two Karasuno drivers fighting with each other in the depths of the garage. 

“Fuck you, Noya!” Tanaka threw a monkey wrench at the boy. Noya jumped back and flipped him off. Sugawara Kōshi came out of the office and slapped them both on their heads. 

“Are you sure you don't want to join us?” Hinata asked, opening the door. 

“I drive alone," Kageyama muttered and put the car in reverse, ready to drive away. 

Hinata got out of the car and headed towards the workshop, merely raising his hand in a goodbye gesture.

Kageyama drove out of the parking lot, giving the crew leader one last nod. He passed a MItsubishi parked on the side and set off at full speed towards his apartment. 

The night was still young, it wasn't even two o'clock. If it wasn't for the ergonomics lecture in the morning, he would have made a few more rounds, waking up everyone within a few kilometers radius. 

The roar of the engine was calming. With a smooth movement he shifted into top gear, speeding through empty roads of Tokyo. 

He was furious at the whole world for ever putting his car on the same track as the Magnificent King’s. Tōru Oikawa was the only one making Kageyama begin to doubt his skills and natural talent. After all, the Killer was a born genius behind the wheel, as Oikawa had used to say. Ironically, he was the only one who could make Kageyama forget how to change gears. With one silly smile, one word, one louder growl from his Ferrari 458. 

They only raced once. 

A memorable race that left him not only with the bitter aftertaste of defeat, but also with a nasty scar on his shoulder and a nickname that clung to him as quickly as it appeared on the tongues of the crowd.

Kageyama allowed himself to push the accelerator all the way to the floor and reach an unearthly speed before pulling off the highway and heading towards the apartment building where his father had bought him a condo. 

The roar of the working machine echoed through the underground parking lot as he drove in to park in his usual spot. He turned off the engine and rested his forehead against his hands still clenched on the steering wheel. 

Oikawa was right. It was almost certain that he wouldn't show up for the Valentine's Day race, or would show up alone. He didn't want to go there. He was sure the Magnificent King wouldn't miss out on humiliating him in front of his fans and everyone in the crowd. 

Kageyama had been alone for so long that it no longer bothered him. Before his memorable race with the King, when he was taking his first steps in the underground world of street racing, people called him the Lone Wolf. 

Kageyama didn't know which nickname was worse, but he was well aware that both fit him perfectly. He had a strange feeling that they left a kind of mark on him that was never going to fade. 

***

Ergonomics at eight in the morning was a nightmare for all students. Kageyama pulled into the university parking lot five minutes before class started. It meant that he wouldn't even have time to buy a cup of coffee, without which he had no chance of surviving even one hour of lecture. 

The previous night he couldn't calm down for a long time after the thrilling race with the Owl, one of the best drivers in their narrow circle of street racing fans. At the Garbage Ground it was said that if only he would get rid of his crazy tricks and habits, he would be able to beat even the King. However, Bokuto Kōtarō was having too much fun to care about things like money and fame. 

“Did you look over the notes I sent you? I know they were a bit messy, but…”

Kageyama raised a tired look at the girl, who had just slumped in the seat next to him, placing her laptop on the desk. She had rather dark and short, partially tied up hair and round, gold-rimmed glasses. She was a total opposite of him when it came to dressing style. She usually showed up to class in sweatpants or a hoodie and jeans, never bothering with makeup or any accessories like most of the girls in his group. She was one of those girls who didn't give a damn what others thought of  them . In some ways it impressed him a little. 

Tobio didn't even know her name. He had only exchanged maybe two words with her since the beginning of the semester when she transferred to their uni. They were obviously about classes and things that needed to be done that Kageyama obviously hadn't done.

“Notes?” he asked unconsciously, and the girl furrowed her brows. 

“You came up to me a week ago and asked if I could send you my class notes because you were so hungover that you didn't know what subject we had.” 

Kageyama tried to fill the gaping hole in his head, but his efforts were hopeless. 

“I'm sorry," he muttered, “I don't have any idea what you are talking about.”

“Have you been drinking again? You don't know what's going on, am I right?” she asked with a smile, and seeing his empty look, she took out a Red Bull from the bag and put it on the table in front of him. The lecturer finally entered the room to start the class, so Tobio quieted his voice.

“What are you doing?” 

“Relax, I slept for two hours, I have a ton of those,” she waved her hand at him, opening her computer. “I'll send you today's notes too. You can take a nap.” 

Kageyama felt strange about the fact that he was talking to someone other than Hinata, but unfortunately the redhead didn't show up at the university, and the girl, whom for lack of better options he recently asked for notes, decided to keep him company for some reason. 

Tobio hoped that it would end with this nice gesture, but his instinct told him that people like her do not let go easily. 

To his surprise, the girl did not speak to him until the end of the lecture, too busy taking notes and sipping her energy drink. After the class ended, she only asked him about his email (neither of them were surprised when it turned out that Kageyama had given her the wrong one the previous time) and promised to send him everything once again. 

He didn't ask her name. She didn't ask his either. He didn't care too much, but it was good to have someone from whom he could take materials if needed. When it came to that, it was pointless to count on Hinata. Dandelion showed up for their second lecture of the day, explaining that he had to drop by Kenma's office to return a shirt he had recently borrowed for an exam. He almost immediately got slammed for leaving Kageyama alone on ergonomics, but it was good to have his Dandelion with him again, responsible for all interactions with people and checking the class schedule every single time. Hinata on the same study course was a life-saver.

Hinata kept his mouth shut for a long time, but as soon as they left the university building, he finally had to bring up the sensitive subject. 

“What about the race? - asked the boy, and Kageyama sighed heavily. 

“Shut up.” 

“Take whoever," he groaned. “ I can ask Kenma if he has any single friends.” 

“I can't take just anyone, moron,” he growled at him, pulling out his keys. “I won’t be explaining to them that this shit is illegal. If we're getting screwed, it's all fucking going to go down the drain.” 

Hinata sighed in resignation, slowly coming to terms with the fact that his friend was going to be harshly slated on Saturday night. Tobio slowed his pace, staring suspiciously at the female silhouette circling his car. The girl from ergonomics stared at the car's headlights with a smile, arms crossed over her chest. They both walked closer, while Kageyama was praying silently for his friend to sort it out for him. It wasn't the first time some girl had shown interest in his car, solely because it looked expensive. He hated all those chicks who wanted to date him because his father had succeeded in life. 

“Is that a Mustang Hennessey HPE700 Supercharged?” she asked and Hinata raised an eyebrow in disbelief. 

“Yes," Kageyama replied hesitantly, slightly tilting his head. He really couldn't believe that any girl who wasn't Kiyoko Shimizu was able to recognize this model. 

“It's amazing," she said. “I've once had a chance to race... drive one." 

Hinata lifted the corner of his mouth as he heard the subtle slip-up. He was well aware of what that meant. 

“A friend of mine gave me a ride when I was living in the US,” she added. 

The girl tried to put on a good face, but neither of them were dumb enough to believe her. Hinata patted him on the shoulder and gave him a meaningful look, taking a step towards the white Maserati that had just pulled into the college parking lot. He jumped inside and the car pulled out onto the main road. 

“Who are you guys?” she asked, smiling as she watched the car drive away. “You two have great taste," the girl stepped away from the Mustang. ”I' m sorry for bothering you. I simply can't walk past a good car with indifference.”

“It's cool,” Kageyama muttered. ”Good that you at least know what brand it is.”

“Brand, model and year, my dear.” She smiled. “I know my things.” 

The girl adjusted her glasses with a quick movement of her hand and walked away, giving him one more goodbye glance. 

Kageyama knew that Hinata was going to beat the shit out of him for letting her go. He got in the car and drove off, hoping for some fucking miracle that would make him stop being such a wimp. 

***

“See?” Hinata spoke up, sitting down next to him in the lecture hall. “The solution came by itself.”

“Yeah," Kageyama muttered.

Hinata banged the bottle of flavored water on the top of the small table and looked at him in disbelief.

“No," he chuckled, as if to convince himself that his friend was not a coward after all. Kageyama kept silent. “No way.”

“Shut up.” 

“You're an idiot," Hinata said, laughing in disbelief. “You had such a perfect opportunity to invite her to this stupid race, but you didn't even mention it, huh?” 

“She totally doesn't fit in," Kageyama said, glancing at the brunette sitting three rows in front of them. Hinata looked in the same direction and sighed. 

“You do know that people outside of college tend not to walk around in sweatpants and look... normal, right?” He asked, then took a deeper breath. ”Do you seriously think that if you invited her to the race, she would come dressed like that?”

Kageyama glanced down at the washed-out navy blue sweatshirt, the messy hair tied up, and the gold-rimmed glasses slipping off her nose as the girl turned to face her companion. 

“Be a man, Killer.” Hinata sighed. “You'll see, it really won't be that bad. Do I really need to remind you that you don't have any fucking choice?”

It was hard for Kageyama to argue with his point, so when class was over, he walked up to her, took two deep breaths, and asked:

“Can we talk?”

The girl had probably never seen such a shocked person in her life. She, however, forced herself to smile nervously and followed him out into the parking lot behind the college building. Tobio looked around, checking for potential witnesses, but most of the students were sitting in class or in the cafeteria.

“Are you about to offer me some drugs?” she asked, seeing the boy scanning the surrounding with his eyes. “If so, I only take weed.” 

“What? No,” he mumbled, shifting his distracted gaze to her. 

“Either that or you want to kidnap me, I can't think of anything else.” 

Kageyama lifted the corner of his mouth more out of pure politeness than amusement, assuming that the girl's words were meant to be a joke. Quite a bad one. 

“Listen…, “ he started, running his fingers through his hair and stopping his hand at the base of his neck. “There's a race on Saturday and I thought you might like to go with me,” he said rather hesitantly.

The girl smiled with understanding.

”Is it something special?” she asked, correctly reading his intentions. “Valentine's Day, isn't it?”

Kageyama tightened his lips.

“Oh, you must be very desperate if you're asking me,” she laughed and looked first at the black Mustang standing nearby, then at him again. “Is it illegal?”

Kageyama was a little confused when he heard that question, but he knew that there was no need to beat around the bush. 

“Yes.”

The girl laughed merrily, flicking loose strands of hair out of her face. 

“Awesome," she chuckled. “I'm in.” 

Kageyama didn't know if he felt even more stressed or if he was relieved after all. 

“Thanks," he muttered. 

“Will you send me the address or...?”

“I'll pick you up,” he said and the brunette raised an eyebrow. 

“Pick me up?”

“They won’t let you in,” he answered as if it was obvious. “It is a closed party.” 

“What an honour,” she smiled slightly. 

Kageyama closed his eyes, sighing heavily, at which the brunette only raised the corner of her mouth even more. 

“It's just... You don't look like a gentleman to me.”

The boy bit his lower lip, nodding slightly. 

“Somehow that doesn't surprise me.” 

The girl sighed, resting her hands on her hips. 

“I just wanna say that if you don't open the door for me, I'll embarrass you.” 

Tobio furrowed his brow, staring at her intensely with a silent question in his dark eyes.

“I'm kidding,” she said, slowly heading back towards the university. “Or maybe I’m not.”

Kageyama watched her walk away, throwing him another smile, then he took a few more heavy breathes and entered the building to tell Hinata that if his plan didn't work out, Kenma was paying for his departure overseas. 

***

Kageyama didn't know if the strange feeling he'd been getting since he left home on Friday night was nervousness or complete resignation. 

He was counting on the brunette to look good enough and present herself convincingly enough for Oikawa to go easy on him for the next year. No one could get on his nerves like he could. Not even Dandelion. 

He once again checked the address the girl had emailed him and looked at the sign with the name of the street he had just turned into. He passed Edogawa's Workshop, only to brake rapidly a moment later. Further down the road, the property numbers only increased, but Kageyama wasn't expecting a garage at the given address. 

He turned around, pulling into the first possible driveway and stopped in front of the still open garage. Only one person was loitering inside. The elderly man looked at him, gave the ignited car a glance and went back to work.

Kageyama considered revving the engine so that the whole neighborhood could hear it, but what would that do? If she actually lived nearby, she for sure already knew about his arrival. 

He shifted his gaze to the road ahead. It was almost eleven in the evening, the streets were almost empty, but a group of students was walking along the sidewalk, laughing and talking loudly. Two of the guys threw the black Mustang a jealous glance and walked past. Kageyama turned off the engine and got out into the cool evening air. Maybe he could ask this older mechanic about... 

He didn't even know her name. With a sigh, he leaned against the car and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Excuse me, can I take a ride with you?" a female voice reached his ears and he closed his eyes in irritation. This happened too often.

"I am waiting for someone," he spat out and only then he shifted his gaze to a medium height brunette, standing about one meter from him. 

"For me, as far as I know," she smiled slightly. He was almost frozen. The woman standing in front of him born no resemblance to the sleepy student carrying a supply of energy drinks wherever she went. She looked stunning and Kageyama was sure she knew exactly what she was getting into.

A navy blue lace top revealed a cleavage adorned with silver chains, black leather pants accentuated her figure, and high heels added some elegance. A dark jacket completed the look. 

"Surprised?" she lifted the corner of her mouth, coming closer.

Kageyama looked into the girl's brown eyes, emphasized with strong make-up and he almost forgot his name. His valentine was a perfect match for this underworld, and Kageyama was blissfully satisfied that even Oikawa would have to admit that she was meeting all the standards. 

He was luckier than he thought. 

"I didn't expect that from you," he said, walking up to the passenger side door and opening it for the brunette. He remembered the small threat, and despite everything, he wasn't going to take any chances. His honour now depended on this girl. 

"Don't judge a book by its cover," she smiled even wider and got in gracefully, sending the interior a look of admiration. Kageyama sank down on the driver's seat and glanced at her nervously. 

"I didn't ask your name," he said with embarrassment, starting the engine. The girl took her eyes off the dark blue trim she had just admired and looked at him shocked. 

"Damn, indeed," she laughed. " I'm Risa Coleman." 

"Kageyama Tobio," he muttered in response, pulling onto the main road.

He hadn't noticed it before, but the brunette did indeed look like she had some overseas roots. Her facial features were not typically Asian.

"Is that what you want me to call you?" she asked.

Kageyama furrowed his eyebrows. 

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I know my stuff," she said emphatically. "Have you earned a title yet?" 

Kageyama hesitated, sparing her a quick look. 

"Killer," he answered, and the girl nodded with recognition. Tobio looked out the front window again, waiting for Risa’s words.

"Should I run away or...?" 

He did not respond to the taunt. He hated explaining the origin of the name to anyone and he usually chose not to. Anyone interested would always find out anyway from whoever had been stuck in their circle for a while. 

"Is there something behind this?" she asked, but didn't look like she really expected an answer. She rested her forearm on the armrest and stared out at the night skyline of Tokyo.

"I don't like talking about it," he replied, shifting into a higher gear. 

Risa looked at his muscular forearms, exposed by the rolled-up sleeves of his dark blue shirt. The black watch on his left wrist glinted in the lantern light coming through the windows, as did the silver rings on his slender fingers. She had always been in love with tattoos of all kinds, but this one particular snake, decorating the driver's right forearm, struck her as truly beautiful. The detail and workmanship were breathtaking and she suddenly wanted to see it in all its glory, not restricted by her shirt sleeve. 

"How long have you been racing?" she asked, looking away as the attraction of the man sitting next to her suddenly hit her with the force of a speeding Porshe.

"I started as soon as I got my license." His low, slightly hoarse voice cut through the roar of the engine as he accelerated even faster, speeding through the streets of Tokyo. "A friend of mine from high school got me into street racing." 

Risa nodded, sticking her gaze into Kageyama's profile. His dark eyes watched the road with stoic calm, and his face expressed no emotion. He kept his left hand on top of the steering wheel, adjusting its position slightly, the other resting loosely on the window frame. 

Risa took a deeper breath, drawing the scent of air freshener and leather preservative into her nostrils. There was something extremely familiar about the scent. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly as memories of late-night rides around Los Angeles came back to her.

"What about you?" he asked, taking his eyes off the street for a moment to look at her with blueberry eyes. "Mrs. ‘I know my stuff’." 

Risa chuckled quietly, even though his tone didn't betray in the slightest that he was joking. She shifted her gaze back to the window, staring out at the lights of the big city. 

"I've spent half my life in LA," she began quietly, trying, not to let her voice get lost in the sound of the engine. "My brothers have been into street racing since I was a kid. So I started racing when I was fifteen."

Kageyama raised his eyebrows in awe. He, at fifteen, was only thinking about volleyball and English exams that he was never able to pass in the first term. 

"My brothers gave me an old Supra when I was sixteen and I have driven it proudly ever since," she added.

Kageyama gave her a quick glance. "I don't believe in coincidences or fate, but the fact that I came across you..."

"I'm a godsend, I know," she laughed, interrupting him mid-sentence. "And the fact that it was all because you, hungover as fuck, asked me for notes."

Kageyama rolled his eyes. 

"Stop reminding me of that," he growled, but there was not even a hint of aggression in his voice. Risa looked at the unfinished building emerging from behind the trees. It looked as if the owner had abandoned it in the middle of construction. The last few floors were left in a rough state, the windows were missing glass and the facade was untouched. There wasn't a single soul around. With such a location, whatever was going to function here would sooner or later fail anyway.

"Are you still racing?" he asked. From the distance came the roar of several engines and the bass of music playing from the speakers. 

"No," she said. "I left my Supra in parts in LA, and here I haven't found a car that caught my attention yet."

"Did you have an accident?" he asked, turning into the entrance to the underground parking garage under the building. 

"No, I just lent it to my brother for one race and well... I never got it back."

The two men at the barrier stopped the car in front of them and approached the window from the driver's side, who handed them a small black card and, after a brief exchange of words, drove in. Kageyama didn't even slow down, and the two men escorted him with their eyes. 

"You must be quite a badass if they don't ask you to identify yourself," Risa remarked and shifted her gaze to the scene unfolding in front of her. 

The parking lot was buzzing with life. Several cars of different brands, models and colors were parked in such a way as to create a track for the participants of the race. People of different nationalities, dressed in extravagant costumes, sometimes looking as if they had come out of the nineties, were hanging around. 

Risa watched in awe as the crowd parted and swept their gaze behind the black Ford that Kageyama was driving to the upper levels.

"I'm impressed."

"It's not such a big party," he said, resting the inside of his hand on the steering wheel and turning it with such a subtle motion that only a professional could."

"I know," she snorted. "You haven't seen the LA events." 

Kageyama sent her an amused look and entered the upper level. To their eyes appeared a wide track, running through half of the parking lot and further through the exit, leading nowhere. 

"Where does it end?" she asked, because even though the track was well lit, she could not see the end. 

"Actually, this road leads nowhere," he replied calmly, turning and parking in a spot next to a white Maserati. "The owners of the building abandoned the project years ago and left several kilometers of unfinished asphalt."

"Lucky for you," she said.

Kageyama nodded and turned off the engine. 

"Listen..." he started, but he did not have time to finish.

A short red-haired boy with a wide smile on his lips and a flash in his brown eyes knocked on his window. Next to him stood a man of similar height, dressed in an expensive dark grey suit. His black hair with blond ends was tied in a bun at the back of his head, and his serious look was chilling. The man put his hand to his ear, pressing a button on a small earpiece, and said something neither of them had a chance to hear. 

"Wait." Kageyama chuckled and got out of the car, closing the door with an affection visible to the naked eye. Risa was used to men around her treating cars better than women, so the soft, barely visible gesture made her unintentionally lift the corner of her mouth. It was all so familiar…

The door on her side opened, revealing the slim, tall figure of the black-haired driver. Kageyama didn't even look at her. He held the door, waiting for her to get out, and when black heels clattered on the concrete parking lot, he slammed it and looked at Hinata. 

"Dandelion, Risa, Risa, Dandelion," Kageyama said and Hinata beamed even more. 

"I was really hoping to see you here," he turned to her. “You look amazing. Nice to meet you.”

The girl raised the corner of her mouth, surprised by such a direct compliment. 

"Thank you" she replied, correcting her dark slicked back hair. 

"Kitten, say hi" Hinata grabbed the hand of the man standing next to him, drawing his attention.

"Shoyō, I told you not to call me that in front of other people” He sighed and nodded to the girl, interrupting the phone conversation for a moment. "Kenma Kozume." 

"Risa Coleman," she introduced herself, and when the man went back to explaining something to the caller, she turned to Kageyama standing behind her. "Are you racing today?" she asked.

"Actually, no," he replied. "I wasn't planning to." 

"Tonight's main attraction is the race between the Owl and Hannibal," Hinata said. "They’re betting solely on whether or not Bokuto will crash his car." He laughed.

Risa glanced at her companion's distracted eyes and furrowed her brows. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. Dandelion followed her eyes and smiled slightly, seeing the shadow of nervousness on his friend's face.

"He's not here yet," he said. "Colt hasn't shown up either. They will probably come together." 

"Shoyō." Kenma put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm going to talk to Daichi about this award for DJ." 

"Sure, I'll go with you," he said and turned to the girl. "Have fun, Risa." 

Risa sent him a warm smile and watched him walk away accompanied by a man in a suit.

"Who's the man with the tie?" she asked. "He evokes respect." 

Kageyama leaned against the car, throwing the parking lot a bored look. 

“Kenma is our sponsor,” he said. “I mean... Karasuno's team sponsor, and mine occasionally because of Hinata.” 

“They make a cute couple” she said, crossing her hands behind her back and also leaning against the side of the black Mustang. “And why Dandelion?” 

“You know…” 

The roar of the engine drowned out his words and he tense up suddenly, immediately recognizing the car that made that beautiful sound. 

“Fuck,” he muttered and put a hand on her shoulder, gently pressing her a few steps towards the track. “Could you pretend I didn't beg you to come here at all?” 

Risa snorted with laughter and shook her head in disbelief. 

“Now I understand everything.” 

Kageyama didn't know if she was furious and was about to make a scene ridiculing him in front of everyone or go along with this play. He didn't have time to think about it anymore as Oikawa's white Ferrari 458 stopped right in front of Kageyama's black Mustang. 

A tall boy with chocolate-colored hair and attractive appeal got out of the car and approached them with a mocking smile, right after he opened the door for his companion. The girl looked just as good as he did, but she seemed like the kind of person who couldn't really tell the difference between a Ford and a BMW without looking at the symbol. 

"Killer." The man bared his teeth, embracing his companion with one arm, the other spreading as if to embrace them both.

Kageyama crossed his arms, looking at his rival with a stone expression on his face."Oikawa," he replied so coolly that Risa could almost feel the physical cold on her exposed skin.

"It's your Highness to you" he smiled maliciously and eyed Risa up and down with a meaningful look. "How much did you pay this lady for her company?" 

Risa felt the blood rush to her head. She lifted the corner of her mouth slightly and clung to Kageyama's shoulder. She froze for a moment when she felt the strong muscles hidden under the dark blue fabric of his shirt, but she didn't let herself get distracted by anything.

"Nothing, unfortunately," she answered. "However, I am not an escort, Your Highness. It takes more than money to get my attention." 

Oikawa smiled wider when he heard the girl's mocking tone as she almost spat out his title. 

"Excuse me, ma'am," he nodded and extended his hand towards her. " did not introduce myself properly. The Magnificent King is what they call me."

"Vegas" she replied to Kageyama's surprise and was about to shake Oikawa’s hand when Kageyama grabbed her wrist. She lifted her head slightly, watching as he drove his gaze into the rival in front of him.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to touch what's not yours?" he growled, and Oikawa withdrew his hand with an uninterrupted smile.

"Pardon." He chuckled. "I didn't know the lady was your property." 

"She is not,' she interjected. "But this lady is certainly out of your league."

Oikawa looked at her for a moment, then laughed melodiously. His girlfriend glanced at him, slightly confused by the whole situation, but the forced smile did not leave her face. 

"I like you," he said to her and shifted his gaze to Kageyama. "Let's race, Killer." 

Risa felt Kageyama’s muscles tense up under her fingers. She looked up at him, slightly worried, but he continued to stare hatefully at his rival. He didn't answer, and a malicious smirk full of superiority didn't come off Oikawa's face.

Kageyama didn't even notice that a large crowd had already gathered around the two best drivers. People began to murmur approvingly, hungry for some excitement. Tobio was ready to say no until someone in the crowd started shouting. Not a few seconds passed and a whole bunch of street racing enthusiasts started chanting his name, or rather the infamous title that was given to him after his last rivalry with Oikawa. 

"Come on, Killer, you're not scared, are you?" he sneered. "Cowardly in front of your woman?"

Kageyama clenched his fists. Everything in him was screaming to refuse, to wriggle out somehow and not take another risk. Oikawa smirked with fake disappointment. 

"Oh... Then why don't YOU race with me?" he asked. "I'm curious to know what's hidden under the name 'Vegas'." 

"No," Kageyama replied.

"Certainly not in these shoes." She nodded, glancing meaningfully at the black heels. 

"In that case..." King looked at his rival again. "I don't think you have a choice." 

The screams of the crowd reverberated in Kageyama's head long after they had set the time of the race, parted, throwing each other hateful glances, and got into their cars. Oikawa got as far away as possible and parked with the rest of his team. Kageyama clenched his hands on the steering wheel, experiencing his own little nervous breakdown. RIsa got into the car and looked at him with concern. 

"Look, I know it's none of my business, but if there's anything I can do to make you feel better..."

"I'm fine."

She sighed, hearing such an obvious lie. 

"It's just a race," she said cautiously, afraid of the boy's reaction. "Right?" 

"It would be 'just a race' if I were racing with anyone else," he muttered, resting his head on his hands still gripping the steering wheel. “But not with him.” 

Risa rolled her eyes, turning her body towards the boy. 

"Who the hell is he anyway?" She asked. "Is he really the king of this place?" 

"No one has won against him in an official race yet." Kageyama raised his head and looked at her with dark eyes in which the girl could see a shadow of fear. 

"And you...? Have you ever raced against him?" 

"Once," he replied. 

"Did something happen then?" she asked warmly, knowing that this must be the case. 

"I lost," he sighed. "The only thing I took from that fucking race was a nickname." 

She looked at him for a moment in silence. No longer at his muscular arms, his beautiful tattoo or his sharp jawline, but at the sad look in his eyes on the windshield. 

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but..." 

“Yeah… I really don’t want to” he answered quietly.

"That’s fine," she said. "Just calm down. Everything will be fine. Just trust your skills. You're somebody here, aren't you?" 

"In theory, I'm the second best driver," he finally muttered, letting go of the steering wheel. 

She whistled quietly. "Oh my... I didn't know I was going on a date with such a celebrity."

"Is this a date?" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, not showing even a hint of a smile. 

"A fake date, but a date after all, right?" She smiled at him and he lifted the corner of his mouth slightly. “See? There is nothing to stress about.”

"Ride with me" he said suddenly and looked her straight in the eyes. She was staring into those beautiful, dark blue irises, reflecting the light from outside. 

"I will be your pilot," she answered. "You can count on me."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. We're up all night to get lucky

Kageyama leaned back against his seat with a sigh and stuck his gaze at the ceiling. He and Oikawa were scheduled to race just before Hannibal's clash with the Owl. According to news from Hinata, a surprisingly large number of people had bet on him in that clash, and the prize for the winner was expected to be tens of thousands. Kageyama didn't give a damn about the prize and subtly reminded his friend of that. A moment later Hinata appeared at his window just to flip him off.

Kageyama lowered the glass.

“What do you want, moron?”

“Am I interrupting?” Hinata looked inside the car and smiled at her. Tobio pressed his lips together, barely stopping himself from punching his friend in the face. 

“We're just chatting," she smiled warmly. 

“Kenma went to talk to the people upstairs," he said. "and Zombie and his crew are already here, so I thought maybe you and Risa wanted to come with me to congratulate DJ on his win.” 

“Call me Vegas," she said. ”Since I'm already hanging around…”

“They have already raced?” Kageyama furrowed his brows and glanced at his watch. “Shit.”

“Thunder slammed into a lantern on a turn and there was no way he was going to get out," Hinata finished and looked at her with a curious grin. “Vegas? Are you really from THIS world?”

She snorted, hearing his tone and nodded. 

“I raced back in LA," she replied. Dandelion bared his teeth. 

“What a badass," he laughed. “I do have a nose, don't I, Killer? I told you to invite her, she's so fucking cool.” 

“Shut up already,” Kageyama growled and Risa laughed. 

“So? Are you going?" Hanata asked. 

“Yeah... Are we really going to sit here all night?” she asked her companion. “You know, worrying about it won't help you anyways.” 

Kageyama nodded and got out of the car. Despite the noise outside, Risa was able to hear their conversation as he walked around the car to open the door for her. 

“How's the date going?”

“This is not a date.”

“Stop lying to yourself, Killer.”

“Shut your damn mouth, you idiot.” 

She got out, giving him a smile, then they both followed Dandelion, who was heading towards his crew. 

“You know I was kidding about the door, right?” she asked Kageyama, trying to outshout the roar of engines. 

“I'm not taking any chances," he replied, making the corner of her mouth slightly lift.

“Dandelion! My favourite boy! Did you see my sweet victory!" the bald boy in black sweatpants and an orange sweatshirt shouted towards Hinata. “Did you see how Noya knocked out that fucking pole!?”

Risa couldn't hold back a smile, hearing the driver's wild laughter. Kageyama placed a hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to walk closer to the group of boys standing next to their cars. 

“Shut up, DJ! If you hadn't cut me off, you fucking motherfucker...!” one of the boys shouted. 

“Noya, calm down,” said the silver-haired man standing next to the red Chevrolet and scratched his neck with a sigh. Noya, a short boy with bleached bangs and plenty of ear piercings, rolled his eyes and sent the bald man a furious look, not saying anything. Hinata smiled and glanced over his shoulder at his companions. 

“Hey, guys, this is Vegas,” he said. “Killer's date” 

“I swear, if you don't shut up..." Kageyama growled with pure anger in his eyes.

“It's nice to meet you.” He was interrupted by a medium height, beefed up man with a friendly expression. “Welcome to our little circus” he added and shook her hand. “It’s Zombie.” 

“Nice to meet you, too.” she replied with a smile. 

“Ghost.” The silver-haired man nodded to her before he glanced at the two drivers still arguing over their race. “Don't mind those two, adrenaline is still boiling in them.” 

Risa laughed. Noya smacked his friend on the shoulder and approached them with a smile. 

“Thunder” he introduced himself. “Awesome to see another chick at the Garbage Ground.” 

“A woman” Ghost corrected him, glancing at her uncertainty. She sent him a calming look. 

“Savior stayed in the workshop?” Hinata asked the Ghost. He nodded. 

“He said he would finally fix Kiyoko's car.” 

Dandelion smiled.

“Asahi is doing all the work there.”

“Killer, I heard that you’re racing with Oikawa tonight,” DJ came closer, massaging his sore shoulder.

“Are you out of your mind?” Thunder asked, looking at him in shock. “Ever since he bought this fucking Ferrari, it's been impossible to win against him.” 

“It's not the car that makes you a driver.” Risa said with a shrug of her shoulders. Ghost and Zombie nodded in approval. 

“What do you drive?” asked the brunet, leaning against the Chevrolet. 

“Currently nothing” she replied. ”I moved from the US three months ago and I haven't had a chance to look for something yet. I was looking for someone to get me into street racing in Japan," she poked Kageyama on the shoulder with a smile, but he just rolled his eyes and took out a medium-sized black vape from his pocket. He inhaled briefly and let out a cloud of white smoke. He glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye and pulled it towards her. She smiled slightly at him and took the vape in her hand. The fact that she has her own pod in her back pocket was left unmentioned.

“What's that?” she asked.

“Mango,” he replied. She took a long drag, before presenting a perfect French inhale. Noya and DJ exchanged smiles. 

“But I used to have a Supra," she added, handing the device back to its owner. Ghost beamed instantly. 

“Brilliant car,” he said. ”I own a Supra myself.” 

“Really?” she smiled. “What year is it?” 

“Ninety-three,” he said, and she nodded with appreciation. 

“Hey, did you guys bet on the final race?” Dandelion spoke up suddenly, staring at the screen of his cell phone. 

“We bet on Hannibal,” Zombie replied, glancing at the silver-haired man. Ghost nodded. 

“The Owl has a good chance if you look at all the gadgets he has installed in his car lately,” said the DJ. ”However, he might as well run into the lantern.” 

Thunder instantly tensed up.

“Listen, you little piece of shit..." he growled. 

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Risa admitted with a sigh. Kageyama glanced down at her. Despite her high heels, she was still a few inches shorter than him. 

“I'll explain later," he promised. 

“Sure." She smiled gratefully. 

“Okay, I'm going to race with Venom in five minutes,” said DJ. “I have to save someone's honor.”

"You can also give me your car," Noya shrugged his shoulders. 

"Oh, so you're the one who was supposed to race with Terushima, right?" Hinata laughed, looking at him. Thunder rolled his eyes. 

"We were supposed to drift at minus one, but someone crashed my car," he looked furiously at DJ, who smiled mischievously. 

"We' ll be going," Kageyama said suddenly, glancing at his companion. Risa nodded her head. 

"It was nice to meet you guys," she said. 

"Stop by the garage sometime, Vegas." Zombie smiled, resting a hand on the hood of his Corvette. "Killer will show you where we're working." 

"Of course," she smiled and took the first step back. "Have fun." 

"You too," Ghost replied and nodded at Kageyama. "Keep an eye on him." 

"Sure," she laughed. 

"I can take care of myself," Kageyama muttered, heading towards his car. Zombie's crew bid her farewell with a few more kind words and went back to their businesses. Risa took a few extra steps to catch up with Kageyama before she glanced at him sideways. 

"Don't you drive with them?" she asked. "You seem to be close." 

"I drive alone," he answered shortly. "Dandelion's been bugging me to join them for years, but it's not my thing." 

"Too bad," she said. "They seem really nice." 

"I occasionally use their workshop," he said. "The Savior, Azumane Asahi, is one of the best mechanics in town. 

"Savior?" 

Kageyama opened the passenger side door and looked at her. 

"The guy will fix literally anything." 

She sank into the lowered seat and crossed her legs, watching Kageyama walk around the car and get into the driver's seat. 

"What about those two that are racing after you?" she asked. 

Kageyama leaned back, resting his bent knee against the steering wheel. He put his arm around the back of her seat and glanced at her sideways.

"Kuroo Tetsuro, Hannibal, had once been the leader of the biggest team in Tokyo, the Nekoma, aka the Black Cats. However, a lot had happened in a very short time and they had to disband it. They started being considered a gang, so firstly Kenma dropped out, afraid to risk his career, and then one by one everyone else split up. Hannibal had been in charge of the Garbage Ground before Oikawa came along. In fact, he's still in command here, and the King only seems to have something to say about it. Kuroo could kick his stupid ass out of here in five minutes if he wanted to." 

"Doesn't he mind the competition?" she asked.

“It's complicated," he muttered. “Oikawa is the star, but Kuroo is the one holding the reins. It's a bit like a constitutional monarchy. Everyone recognizes Hannibal's position, so as long as the King doesn't try to fuck around, the situation is clear and satisfies both sides.” 

“And the other guy? The Owl?” she asked. Kageyama swirled the vape in his fingers. She reached out for it and when he handed her the device, she took a long drag. A cloud of smoke spread across the dashboard as Killer continued the story. 

"The guy's insane," he said. "He's one of the first Garbage Ground racers, a master of drifting and a living destruction. He has wrecked more cars in his career than I will ever have. 

"Everyone has their own style." She shrugged her shoulders. 

"Or too much money." he responded. Risa laughed, letting out a cloud of white smoke from her mouth. 

"How long have you had this car?" she asked. 

"About a year now," he said. "I had a Lexus RC F from two thousand and fifteen before." 

"What color was it?" She asked with a glint in her eye. 

"Black, of course," said Kageyama, as if black paintwork was the only acceptable one. The girl sighed dreamily. 

"It had to be beautiful. How much did it go for?"

"I still have it," he said.

Risa raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Can you actually afford to maintain two fancy cars?" 

Kageyama clenched his teeth.

"Let's just say my father has a lot of money and I liked to go crazy when I was younger," he muttered. 

"You're not going crazy anymore?" she asked with a slight mockery in her voice. 

"I support myself now," he said. "Except for the apartment. The building belongs to him anyway, so I don't pay the rent.” 

"So you race for a living, don't you?" she asked and once again took a long drag before she let out a puff of white smoke and inhaled it incompetently through her mouth. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. 

"How can you call yourself a vaper if you can't even make a ghost properly?" he sneered, reaching out his hand for the device. The girl handed it to him with a raised eyebrow. 

“Well, show me what you have.” 

Kageyama took a long drag. The case of the cigarette lit up in navy blue. He let out a thick cloud of white smoke from his lips and inhaled it again without the slightest movement of his head. He exhaled the rest of the smoke and gave her a superior look.

She cleared her throat. There was something so hot in his confidence, the way the smoke was leaving his pale lips and those deep blueberry eyes shimmering in the light coming from the outside. She always had a weakness for drivers, as well as guys with hair dark like a night and gorgeous tattoos that looked like a work of art. "See? Racing is just one of my numerous talents," he said in a low voice, and she bit her cheek on the inside. 

"No doubt about it," she smiled. Kageyama looked at her for a moment, then took another drag and handed the vape back to her. 

"Do they really call you Vegas or did you make it up in a rush?" he asked, again putting his left arm around the back of her seat. 

"They do," she replied, bringing the device to her lips. White smoke slowly escaped from between her lips, swirling in the light of the parking lot lamps. "At least in LA."

"You didn't brag about it before." 

"Because you didn't ask." She shrugged her shoulders, sending him a subtle smile.

"Sorry about earlier," he said suddenly, shifting his gaze to the windshield. "I got a little carried away with Oikawa. I didn't mean to objectify you." 

"It's okay," she said, once again enjoying the sweet aftertaste of the mango liquid. "I won't hold it against you, but..."

"I'm an asshole, I know," he muttered. "But I just can't bear the fact that this fucker is taking everything away from me one by one." 

The girl pressed her lips together and looked away. It was so... smooth.

"Why did you invite me in the first place?" she asked. Kageyama sighed heavily and rubbed his face with the palm of his hand. The muscles of his forearm tightened under the intricate tattoo. 

"Before the race with Oikawa, they called me the Lone Wolf," he said. "I'm not the guy who is interested in socialising. I've always been a loner and I still think that's the best option for me, but when that bastard once again started mocking me... He mentioned that fucking Valentine's Day and... He's really getting on my nerves."

"So you wanted to save your honour," she snarled. "And then I was caught in the crossfire."

"I’m glad you were," he said, looking at her with those beautiful blueberry eyes. 

"Obviously ," she snorted, still smiling softly, though. "To bring a girl who knows anything about cars and racing..." 

"In addition, such an attractive one," he muttered and ignoring her surprised look, he reached for a vape. He took a long drag, still avoiding her eyes. She could have sworn he was as embarrassed as she was.

"Well..." she began. "I'm glad I met your expectations." 

"To be honest, I didn't expect much from this worn-out tracksuit and glasses," he said, lifting the corner of his mouth slightly. 

“Hey! Just because you come to the lectures all dressed up doesn't mean that I have time for such bullshit,” she pretended an irritation, taking the vape from his hand. 

“Since when did a shirt and designer shoes become bullshit?” he asked, reaching for his property. She shifted the device over to her other hand and pulled it as far away from him as she could. 

“Since it made you look so…”

“So?” he asked, leaning towards her to reach the vape. 

She held her breath, realizing how close he was. The scent of his perfume irritated her senses and the heat from his body was almost tangible. Her pulse sped up as she looked directly into his deep blue eyes. They were even more beautiful from this close. 

"So good," she finished as the boy closed his long fingers around her wrist. He stared at her with an emotionless expression on his face for a moment before shifting his gaze to her slightly parted lips. 

She thought he was going to kiss her. 

Kageyama grunted and took the vape from her before backing away slowly and lowering himself into his seat. She bit her lip and stuck her gaze into the windshield. 

"It's a little hot in here, don't you think?" she asked quietly, then they both burst into nervous laughter. Kageyama covered his eyes with his hand, his smile revealed the delicate dimples in his cheeks. 

A single word flashed through her head and resonated in her mind for the next few minutes.

Beautiful. 

He was so beautiful it was taking her breath away. 

"Sorry," he said, lowering his hand and glancing at her with amusement in his berry eyes. "I'm not used to dating."

"I, on the other hand, am not used to fake dating," she replied, and he smiled gently. 

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he said.

Risa rolled her eyes.

"It's okay," she replied. "I took advantage of you a bit too. I've wanted to sneak into this part of the underworld since I moved here" she laughed. “If it had been about anything else I would definitely have turned you down.” 

"Thanks," he muttered with faked displeasure, looking away from her. He glanced at the expensive watch on his left wrist and sighed heavily. She smiled comfortingly, seeing his nervousness.

"It’s about time, isn’t it?" she asked warmly. 

"We should go," he muttered and started the engine. He shifted into first gear efficiently, placing his right hand on the steering wheel. He drove out of the parking spot, while she was admiring the slightly bent slender fingers, the veins and tendons showing through the pale skin. Everything about him was beautiful. 

He drove around the entire level to set the car on the starting line right next to the white Ferrari. Oikawa looked at them through the open window and bared his teeth. 

"I thought you chickened out," he said loud enough to cut through the whirring of both cars' engines. Kageyama clenched his hands on the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. " "I see you took your lady on board. I'm still hoping we'll have a race someday, Vegas."

The girl smiled artificially and looked away. 

"Unless it's just a one-time thing," Oikawa continued. "I wouldn't want to spend any more time with him either." 

"We will certainly meet again, your Majesty," she said, visibly annoyed. "Good luck." 

Oikawa looked like he was going to say something else, but Kageyama closed the window as he saw Kuroo enter the track to start the race. 

“That guy pisses me off," she chuckled and looked at the man in front of her. “Who is he?”

“Hannibal,” Kageyama answered and she looked at the racer closely. She had no idea why, but the nickname fit him like a glove . Kuroo was extremely tall, with gelled black hair and a golden piercing gaze. The zipper of his blood-red jacket shone in the Mustang's headlights as he passed them to take his place between the two racers. 

Risa glanced at Kageyama's trembling hand resting on the gear stick and shifted her eyes to his face. A concentrated stare gazed into the track, brow furrowed and lips tightened. He looked as if he had everything under control, yet this tiny nuance betrayed him. 

She covered his hand with hers without hesitation and stuck her eyes into the windshield. After a moment, she felt him take his hand away to place it on top of hers and clamp their fingers on the stick. She slowly lifted the corner of her mouth. Kuroo raised his arms and both drivers began to rev up. The sound of the engine was like music to the ears of everyone in attendance. Risa felt the movement of Kageyama's hand as he shifted into second gear. Adrenaline began to hit her head and her pulse accelerated rapidly. They both stared at Hannibal, waiting for the signal to start.

"Destroy him," she said, and the two cars pulled away with a squeal of tires. 

Risa had almost forgotten the thrills of the race. Every now and then she could feel Kageyama shifting gears, almost without taking his foot off the gas. The engine was roaring as they both sped off, going head to head with the white Ferrari. Risa didn't take her eyes off the track. She was able to judge the revs by the sound of the engine and in her head she repeated all the moves she would have made one by one if she had been the one behind the wheel. Kageyama, as if reading her mind, was doing exactly what flashed through her mind in a split second. She was a good driver, but she rarely went at such speeds. The white Ferrari began to take the lead. Not even the roar of the engine could drown out the pounding of her heart as they came around the bend. 

"Now," she whispered, and at that exact moment, Kageyama pulled on the brake, turning the steering wheel to the left. The squeal of tires hit her mind with an almost painful pitch as the car began to slide sideways on the asphalt surface. Killer efficiently guided them out and hit the gas pedal, trying to catch up to his rival at all costs.

Vegas thought she could hear the pounding of Kageyama's heart. She could feel the heat of his body as he tightened their fingers on the gear stick. The adrenaline was rising with every inch that brought them closer to equaling the King's Ferrari. 

Kageyama pushed the Mustang to maximum acceleration with clenched teeth as she drove his gaze to the finish line dozens of meters ahead of them. Subconsciously, she pressed her right foot into the floor but encountered a void. The blood was rushing through her veins, all her nerves were screaming from the adrenaline, and her brain was screaming to speed up. She'd been addicted to this feeling ever since she first got into her brother's car. 

The Ford was almost aligned with the Ferrari, only seconds away from the finish line. The senses of both of them were working at the highest capacity. 

The Mustang crossed the finish line at the same time as the rival's snow-white car. Kageyama let go of her hand and pulled the handbrake, putting the car into a spin and leaving black circular marks on the asphalt. 

When the Mustang stopped for good, their loud breaths and pounding hearts filled the interior of the car, which suddenly seemed unnaturally quiet. The still-running engine and the shouts of the crowd seemed to come from afar, yet unable to drown out the rush of blood in their ears. 

“Did we win?” she asked, but one look at the crowd gathering around the white Ferrari and the face of the King was enough to understand everything. Kageyama placed both hands on the steering wheel and rested his forehead against them, trying to steady his breathing. 

Risa watched with growing frustration as Kozume Kenma approached Oikawa and handed him a bunch of banknotes. The reward for his victory. 

“Inches," growled Kageyama, the girl's hand automatically rested on his shoulder rising with each heavy breath. She could almost taste the bitterness of his failure on her tongue. She silently let her emotions fade and moved her fingers to the boy's neck. His skin seemed hot, slightly damp with sweat, while the pain in her chest was so irrational that she couldn’t get a word out. Did she always feel this way about other people's failures? 

“Come on," she said softly, still hesitating how to address the man. “Tobio?”

Kageyama raised his head and looked at her with rage, pain and disappointment in his eyes. 

"Let's go," she repeated as softly as before. “I'll be right beside you.” 

Kageyama straightened up and got out. Risa took another deep breath before grabbing the handle. She didn't even have time to press it when the door opened, revealing Kageyama's slim figure. She got out quickly, and then they made their way towards the King's car. The cheers of the crowd drowned out the clatter of her heels as she barely took each step, unable to stop her legs from shaking.

Kageyama approached his rival without hearing anything other than the beating of his heart and his own heavy breathing. He was already on the edge of his endurance when she interlocked their fingers together. He couldn't help the feeling that her presence made it slightly easier to face this humiliating scene. 

This feeling was so unknown and frightening to him that he felt like snatching his hand from hers, getting into the car and driving away with a screech of tires. Instead, he clenched his fingers more tightly on her skin and approached Oikawa with a blank expression on his face. 

"Well, Killer," Oikawa began and turned quickly to throw a bundle of banknotes on the front seat of his Ferrari. “I can honestly say I’m impressed. You were so close this time. You've improved." He smiled, then shifted his gaze to their intertwined hands. "Unless it's the presence of this beautiful lady that has such an effect on you." 

Risa could have sworn that Kageyama's entire body tense up at once. She laughed artfully, tilting her head slightly. 

"If you really think that a woman can affect your skills then you're a poor driver," she said. Kenma, who was standing next to them, smiled slightly. Oikawa squinted his eyes. 

"As you can see..." he began, pointing at the open door of the Ferrari. "My girl was not with me." 

"Nice support," she said, tilting her head. 

"Maybe it was you who got weak, King," Kageyama spoke up, and the smile on his face was almost frightening. "You almost let me win." 

Oikawa laughed quietly. 

"Almost, Killer," he replied, emphasizing the first word. "But don't get me wrong. It's nice to finally have a worthy opponent," he said. "I like challenges." 

Kageyama didn't respond. The two drivers exchanged hateful glances until Kenma grunted. 

"We need to free up the track," he said calmly. "Hannibal and the Owl are already waiting at the starting line." 

"Oh, yeah," Oikawa ran his fingers through his hair and put his hand on the open door. “Until the next one, Killer. Don't let me down.” 

"You have my word, Oikawa," said Kageyama with a confidence that almost knocked Risa off her feet. "One day I will throw you off the throne." 

"Good luck," he smiled and got into his car to drive away after a while with a squeal of tires. 

Kenma gave them a nod and headed towards the white Maserati standing near the finish line. 

Risa let go of Kageyama's hand and sighed heavily. 

"What an asshole." 

He looked down at her lifting the corner of his mouth slightly. He felt a sudden wave of peace and gratitude flood over him, so much so that he almost leaned in to kiss her.

She lifted her head and gave him a warm smile. 

"Good job," she said to him and made her way towards the black Mustang. She sank into the seat before he even reached the door handle and rested her head against the soft fabric of the seat. Kageyama slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. 

"You are amazing," he said slowly and took off with a squeal of tires, not letting her respond. 

The ride to the parking lot took them a little longer than the race, but even so, Kageyama still drove at such a speed that he was forced to use the handbrake on the turn. Risa tilted her head back and watched the night sky above them, listening to the engine sounds. 

Kageyama passed the two cars of the next competitors and entered the parking lot. He didn't stop at either Kenma's car or Karasuno's team. He drove down to the lower floor, passed the two men at the barrier, and pulled out onto the road leading to the highway. 

The landscape outside the window was changing rapidly as they sped ahead on the empty roads of Tokyo. It was almost three in the morning. 

"I have a phone in the glove box," he said, and she looked at him questioningly. "Play something cool." 

The brunette took out the device and pressed a button on the side. 

"One, three, eight, seven," he added before she could ask. She entered the code and pressed the Spotify icon. 

Not a moment passed and the first sounds of the "Get lucky" remix came out of the speakers. 

He didn't comment on the choice, focusing on the road ahead. 

Risa shifted her gaze from the window and looked at the driver instead. At the partially lit handsome face, the play of shadows on the pale skin, the strong muscles outlined by the soft material of the navy blue shirt and the black outline of the tattoo on his right forearm that she so badly wanted to see in all its glory. 

“We’re up all night till the sun.

We’re up all night to get some.

We’re up all night for good fun.

We’re up all night to get lucky.”

The lyrics of the song echoed in her head, gaining a whole new meaning after tonight. She didn't feel tired. She wanted to drive around aimlessly with this gorgeous man beside her and with this particular song blasting from the speakers on maximum volume. She longed to stay in this moment until sunrise, to hold its beauty as long as possible, to have fun with the roar of the engine and the play of the lights on the dashboard. They were both so damn lucky that fate had crossed their paths. 

“Should I drive you home?” he asked in a low, slightly hoarse voice that made a gentle shiver run down her spine. Or maybe the turned on air conditioning was at fault?

She remained silent. She wondered if the request to continue wasting fuel was appropriate in her situation. 

"Wanna go for a ride?" he asked, and she looked at him with a smile. He took his eyes off the empty road for a moment and looked into hers. 

"Sure," she replied. Kageyama lifted the corner of his mouth, speeding up even more. He also wanted the moment to last as long as possible, because for the first time in ages someone's presence was so blissful and soothing.

***

When Kageyama stopped the car in front of her house, the dawn was already beginning to break. Edogawa's workshop, where they met a few hours earlier, was already closed, or rather, not open yet. The first rays of the rising sun were breaking through a row of buildings, but the street lamps still cast a soft light on the sidewalk damp from the morning dew.

Kageyama pulled on the handbrake and turned off the engine. 

During those few hours, which they spent driving aimlessly on the highway, they practically did not speak to each other. Neither of them felt the need to start a conversation and the silence in the car, disturbed only by the roar of the engine and the gentle hum of the air conditioner, was not awkward at all. Quite the opposite, there was something calming in it, which allowed them to forget about the emotions after the race and such an devastating defeat. 

"I want to ask you something," Kageyama spoke up first, turning slightly in her direction. The girl did the same, putting her gaze into his eyes. "What does Vegas stand for?"

She smiled slightly. 

“You'll have to try harder if you want to find out," she said quietly. It felt strange not having to raise her voice any longer in order to shout over the engine. This sudden silence seemed so unnatural to them.

"Is that such a big secret?" he asked. 

"No," she replied. "But where's the fun in that?" 

Kageyama lifted the corner of his mouth slightly. Risa flicked her fingers through her hair, taking a deeper breath.

"Thank you for tonight," she said. 

"I'm the one to thank for putting on a show," he said. "Oikawa couldn't believe his eyes when he saw us together. You saved my reputation." 

"We have to do this again sometime," she said, leaning sideways on the seat. She stared at him gratefully. It felt so good to finally be back in this world. This was where she belonged.

"A fake date?" Kageyama raised an eyebrow, and the girl smiled, tilting her head slightly. 

"Was it actually a fake date?" 

He leaned towards her, propping himself up on her seat with his hand, the other placing it on her cheek.

Her heart skipped a beat as Kageyama pressed his lips into hers, gently kissing her lower lip. The warmth of his hand on her skin was pleasant and soothing, and the strong scent of his expensive perfume left her dizzy. 

His lips were downright hot. Risa felt her pulse quicken as Kageyama deepened the kiss, moving his hand to the nape of her neck to draw her closer to him. She longed to cling to his strong body, to run her fingers over every inch of his warm skin, to hold him this close and as long as possible. 

Kageyama was kissing her long and tenderly, stroking the delicate skin just below her hairline with his thumb. Her hand rested on the back of his palm, and then he moved away slowly, still keeping a distance of no more than a few inches between them. 

That one kiss gave him almost as much excitement as the race itself. Blood rushed to his head, an unnatural heat spread throughout his body, and he craved more and more. He wanted to kiss those full lips all night and day, to stroke the soft pale skin, to discover the meaning of her name, and to spend every second in her presence, not even an inch away. 

The feelings that overwhelmed him were unknown to him. He knew the warmth of a woman's body, the shape of it, the pleasure of the soothing touch of soft hands. But his heart had never sped up so rapidly, racing at the speed of a Mustang, pumping hot blood to every part of his body. He couldn't name the feeling that took over him, but he was sure of one thing. He craved more. 

"Why don't you stay a little longer?" he asked quietly. Risa smiled.

"It's almost five," she whispered into his mouth. He moved his hand back to her cheek and stroked the smooth skin, hooking his thumb on her lower lip. 

"Will you go on another fake date with me?" he asked. She lifted the corner of her mouth slightly. 

"On one condition," she whispered. Kageyama moved his gaze from her rosy lips to brown eyes, glittering in the light of the rising sun. 

"What condition?"

"I want to see your tattoo," she said. 

"Which one?" he smiled slightly and amusement flashed across his gaze. 

"Every single one,” she replied. "Now I'm curious." 

"You'll have to try a little harder," he muttered and kissed her again. This time briefly and even more gently than before. He barely touched her lips and moved away again, but still staying close enough for her to feel his warm breath on her skin.

"And one more thing," she began.

"Yes?" he mumbled, looking at her warmly as he had never looked at anyone before.

"It won't be a fake date this time," she said, and Kageyama smiled even more. 

"Of course," he said. "Neither this one nor the next."

It sounded almost like a promise. 

She kissed him for the last time that evening and got out of the car. 

"Good night, Killer."

In her mouth that dreadful title no longer sounded so frightening. 

"Good night, Vegas," he replied and watched her disappear into the side door of the car workshop. 

The black Mustang stood on her street for a long time. Its driver took a moment to calm his emotions and even out his breathing, and when he finally did, he drove off with a squeal of tires and a roar of the engine that probably woke up half the neighborhood. 

The car sped through the still empty streets, not slowing down even for a moment. 

That speed was as soothing as her warm lips, the growl of the engine as loud as their heavy breaths, and the sunrise almost as beautiful as she was.

  
  



End file.
